Shattering Worlds
by DobbylovesWinky
Summary: Just when Jack managed to get Ianto back, all hell breaks lose and he and his team are pulled into a dangerous new world where strange aliens know who Jack is, and intend to use him to bring about an apocalypse. This is a very light crossover with Buffy. It's set in the Buffyverse, Post Chosen, but the Buffy characters will play a very small role in the story.
1. Chapter 1

_Disclaimer: I don't own any of the Torchwood characters or any Buffy characters who happen to appear. _

_Continuity: Post Children of Earth, pre-Miracle Day, Post Chosen by almost ten years, but the comics are not canon here because I haven't read them. This story continues from the series of Torchwood one shots I wrote called The Spark. Checking those out will help this make a lot more sense. _

_This crossover will be very light on Buffy characters. I wanted to bring Torchwood into the Buffyverse, but every attempt to pair the Torchwood characters with canon Buffy characters resulted in the Buffy characters taking over. More over, I don't want to stuff this story with a whole mess of characters. So it will mostly be what's left of the Torchwood team (Jack, Gwen, Rhys and a newly resurrected Ianto) and an OC character. _

**Chapter 1**

Every alarm in the hub blared, and lights even Jack couldn't identify were blinking. Even the computers, which had all been turned off, suddenly flared to life, and began flashing blue screens.

Gwen ran to her desk and typed furiously at her keyboard. Her screen went blank, then came to life, flashing readings and measurements. "Jack, we have a problem."

"No kidding." Jack's comm had started whining and blinking in strange patterns. Seconds later all five cell phones started blaring. Jack wondered if he was the only one who noticed the almost perfect way the rings fell into tune with each other. The caller I.D.s read _unknown_ and no amount of pressing buttons made the ringing stop.

Ianto dropped into a chair and slid next to Gwen to study the read outs. He swore. "If these read outs are right, this is the strongest surge in rift activity we've ever seen."

Gwen shook her head. "The strongest. Or the closest." Her eyes widened.

A split second later something exploded in the middle of the hub.

Jack pushed himself up, brushed the debris from his hair and cataloged any injuries. At the same time, he scanned the main hub, searching out his team. Gwen and Ianto huddled under her desk and Rhys was scrambling toward them on all fours.

Above them all, the air in the center of the hub rippled and streams of blue light whipped out like tentacles. A stink like rotting corpses filled the air, and Jack was filled with a sudden urge to never know where that rift opening led.

A creature came out of the tear in time and space, and crashed feet first through Owen's desk.

The alien stood nearly seven feet tall, with a yellow crest running down the middle of its head. Crystal braces wrapped around its wrists. It wore a leather chest piece and tight fitting pants, which Jack had to admit gave a rather fetching look. If it hadn't been menacing his team, he'd have entertained a few fantasies.

As it was, the long, black blade the creature had drawn was pissing Jack off royally. His team had been through enough, damn-it. He stood up, and aimed his revolver. "Freeze." Not expecting the order to be obeyed, he pulled the trigger.

The bullet landed square in the creature's chest, and green ichor spurted from the wound. The alien snorted, then laughed. "Jack Harkness, right."

The cultured, smooth tone surprised Jack a bit, but not enough to lower his gun. Especially not when his team was just then attempting to get away.

"You don't disappoint." The alien chuckled. "But you haven't the slightest idea what you're in for." Its yellow gaze snapped to Jack's team, who had managed to escape from under the desks. Rhys and Ianto made for the weapons vault, while Gwen trained her gun on the creature.

"Gwen, run." Jack had serious doubts that order would be obeyed as well, but he couldn't really force the issue.

The alien cast a critical eye over her and spread its lips in a twisted parody of an amused grin. "I wonder what you'll make of my world. Guns don't do much good there."

"We won't be finding out." Jack fired off another shot, this time striking the creature in the center of the head. It rocked back, and let out a roar. Jack ran for Gwen, just as Ianto and Rhys reappeared, toting laser guns Torchwood hadn't exactly informed headquarters about.

"I guarantee you will." The alien's voice dropped to a low growl, and Jack saw it vanish in a burst of light.

It reappeared next to Gwen and its hulking arms closed around her, cutting off her enraged scream as it yanked her off her feet. Jack, Rhys and Ianto all lunged at the same time.

And collided with each other when the demon vanished again.

Jack immediately turned to the rift opening. The alien, ichor leaking from a hole in its forehead, held a kicking Gwen over its shoulder, and took a step back toward the opening. "See you on the other side." Then he was gone.

With a shout, Rhys took off. "Rhys, no." Jack managed to catch hold of the man's sleeve, but Rhys ripped free and didn't slow down. He leapt into the rift opening, leaving Jack and Ianto alone, in the eerily silent hub.

"Damn-it." Jack resisted the urge to throw something, because the last thing he needed was to lose his gun. "We needed to stay together."

The opening flexed and shrank, and Jack's heart caught.

A hand grabbed his, and he turned to meet Ianto's eyes. "We will. Let's find them."

Jack nodded, and they ran forward, and dove into the rift.

The light felt cool and soft, like early morning fog, and it sucked the breath from Jack's lungs.

Then there was no more running, because there was no more ground. They floated in a place without sound, or sight, or smell, but Jack could still feel the warmth of Ianto's hand. He thanked whatever bit of luck allowed them to stay together, and hoped it would hold.

After what might have been an eternity or less than a second, Jack hit the ground and the real world rushed back to smack him in the face.

**Thanks for reading. I'm writing this on the fly, because I think it's the only way I'll be able to finally complete a story on here. Constructive critics are very appreciated. "This story sucks," "you suck" or any variation of "suck" is not appreciated. **


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

A groan slipped from Jack's mouth, and he spared a moment to be thankful that he still had a mouth and he could groan. Wherever they'd ended up, it wasn't an exploding star or the middle of an ocean. In fact, it felt as though he were lying on concrete.

A groan nearby told him Ianto had also survived and a swell of relief lifted some of the heavy weight from his chest.

The weight returned soon enough when he heard no other sound. "Ianto." Jack pushed himself up onto his knees. "You all right?"

"As well as can be expected." Ianto lay on his back, and one might have thought he was admiring the night sky if there hadn't been such a sickened look on his face. "My back will never be the same again."

Jack scanned their surroundings. They appeared to be in an alley, with dim light shining down from a shaded bulb on the wall overhead. Gwen and Rhys were nowhere to be seen.

They could be anywhere, literally anywhere on whatever planet they had just landed on. Using years of experience and training to suppress the urge to panic, Jack went to Ianto and helped him to his feet

The Welshman grunted in pain, and pressed a hand to his back.

"Come on." Jack draped Ianto's right arm over his shoulder to keep him steady. "We have to find help."

"And where . . . will we . . . find . . . that." Ianto spoke in grunts between sharp gasps.

Jack could have imagined a hundred better scenarios to be hearing those noises. "We'll have to hope the locals are friendly."

They made slow progress to the mouth of the alley, and emerged on what appeared to be a rather ordinary sidewalk. By that time, Ianto was recovered enough to walk on his own, though he stayed close to Jack.

Clubs and bars lined the street, along with a few closed shops. People milled around, queued up outside the buildings, laughing and chatting. Humans to the naked eye, but Jack knew better than to assume.

Ianto's thoughts echoed his own. "Are we still on Earth?"

"Can't be sure until we ask." Jack ignored the look Ianto gave him and approached a cute young man with striking green eyes, leaning against a wall. _Here's hoping they speak English._ "Excuse me." He put on his best charming smile. "We could use a little help."

Green Eyes started a little, and tugged at the brim of his fitted cap. He wore gloves that reached well into the shirt sleeves of his turtleneck, leaving only his face visible. "What do you need?" His accent was distinctly American. His eyes darted to Ianto and narrowed.

"It's a bit embarrassing," Jack affected a chuckle. "We've gotten a bit turned about. Where exactly are we?"

Green Eyes glanced down the road, and tilted his head toward a sign. "Superior Avenue."

Jack flashed him another grin. "And what city?"

Interest and amusement lit the man's face and he pushed away from the wall. "Are you serious? Cleveland. Ohio."

Jack affected a relieved laugh. "Great. Our GPS broke, and we weren't sure we'd made it to the right city."

Green Eyes nodded slowly, eyes skipping back to Ianto. "You need a hospital or something. I can give you a ride."

Something shifted in those eyes, and gave Jack an uneasy feeling. "We're good. Thanks for your help." He turned away and led Ianto down the sidewalk.

"So we're still on Earth?" Ianto whispered.

"What are the odds that there would be two Clevelands in the universe?" Jack sighed. "We need to find Gwen and Rhys."

As if responding to Jack's words, his cell phone rang. With a startled glance at Ianto, he fished it out of his pocket. _Gwen_ appeared in the caller I.D. Jack pressed the call button and held the phone to his ear as if it might explode. "Gwen."

Gwen's Welsh vowels poured through the phone line. "Jack. Thank God. I'm with Rhys." A muffled voice interrupted her, and she and presumably Rhys had a brief conversation. "Please tell me we're on Earth."

"Far as I can tell." Jack glanced at Ianto, and noticed he was staring behind them. Jack followed his gaze and spotted Green Eyes. The young man had followed them, and was inching his way closer. He was lousy at subtle. When he caught Jack watching, he immediately turned on his heel, and might as well have started whistling. _Deal with it later. _"Gwen, what can you tell me about where you are?"

"It looks like a warehouse district. There's a sign that says 71st street."

"Stay put, and keep your weapons ready. We'll find you."

"Be careful, Jack. See you soon." Gwen hung up and Jack snapped his phone shut. "We need to find 71st street." Before Ianto could answer, Jack turned to Green Eyes. "Hey, what's your name?"

The young man gaped at Jack for a few seconds then seemed to snap out of his stupor. "Paul. I'm sorry I followed you, but it seems like you need help. Can I give you a ride somewhere?" He offered a weak attempt at a smile.

Jack nodded. "71st street."

The pretty green eyes widened and he swallowed. "That's a lousy area."

"Then let's make it a quick trip" Jack slapped the young man on the shoulder. "Lead the way."


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

Paul put the car into park, and tilted his head toward the deserted street in front of them. "71st street."

"Thanks Paul." Jack threw open his door and jumped out of the car, followed quickly by Ianto. Ever suspicious, Jack glanced back and saw Paul pull out a cell phone.

_Definitely something to deal with later. _

They walked toward the street and Jack spotted an alley way. He drew his revolver, and his torch, and aimed the light into the cloying darkness. It shined over a dumpster, and some broken pieces of wood.

Ianto had drawn his own torch, as well as the laser pistol he'd gotten from the weapons vault.

They continued down the street, checking each alleyway, until Jack spotted two figures huddled several meters up the street. "Gwen. Rhys."

One of the figures moved, and slouched into the circle of light from Jack's torch.

The ruddy skinned alien gave Jack a somber look, and surprisingly raised its clawed hands to show they were free of weapons. "You want your friends, follow me."

Jack gave Ianto a look, a warning for him to stay back. Ianto nodded, but Jack's still heart thudded near the base of his throat. Nothing about this felt right. He was sick of finding his teams' dead bodies, and he'd be damned if he allowed it to happen again.

The two creatures crept slowly down the street and turned into an alleyway. A bare bulb brought light to the darkness, and revealed Gwen and Rhys, bound and gagged in the middle of the alley. Behind them stood the alien from the hub. It crossed its thick arms and bared its razor-like teeth in a mockery of a smile. "Welcome to my world, Captain Jack. Put those guns away. They won't do you any good."

Jack considered the order. Bullets didn't work on this thing. There was no guarantee that the laser gun would either, but no sense in giving away a potential ace up their sleeve. Jack holstered his gun and motioned for Ianto to do the same. "What do you want?"

"Chaos. It's what my people feed on, and I think you'll bring enough for a feast."

"Fair enough." Jack's eyes flicked to Gwen and Rhys. Gwen met his gaze with a look of wild determination and gave her bonds an experimental jerk. "My team and I are happy to cause chaos. Let them go."

The alien grunted. "They are my insurance. As long as you do exactly what I say, they will live. Go against me." He raised a hand.

The two smaller creatures that had led them to the alley crept toward Gwen and Rhys. The pair began to struggle harder, and one of the aliens hissed, revealing two rows of needle teeth. A forked tongue snaked out and slithered across Gwen's cheek. She flinched away, and Rhys shouted through his gag.

"Enough!" Jack reached for his gun.

Crested alien cut a hand through the air again, and his minions backed off. "I believe we have an understanding."

"Not even close." Jack moved closer, enough that the stink coming off the creatures made his stomach turn. "Since I don't trust you, I'm not leaving my people in your hands." He crossed his arms and shrugged. "That seems to put us at a stalemate."

Crest returned the shrug. "Fair enough. Then I have no use for you. Eat them."

Jack had his gun out before the order passed the alien's lips, and he fired at the two minions. They dropped, screeching and writhing on the ground. He spared half a second to be thankful for that, then shot them again.

A blast from Ianto's laser pistol shot over Jack's head, and struck Crest in the throat. The alien dropped backwards without a sound, and the alley fell into silence. Jack hurried to Gwen and Rhys and drew a pocket knife to cut the strips of cloth that held them in place.

Gwen began cursing as soon as the gag was removed from her mouth. "Is that thing dead? Because if it's not I'm killing it slowly."

Jack spared a glance for Crest's unmoving body. "I'm not making any assumptions. Ianto."

With a brisk nod, Ianto moved forward until he stood over the creature, and pointed the gun at its forehead.

The massive hand moved so fast Jack didn't see it happen. One second Ianto stood with his gun aimed. A second later he was on the ground. Before Jack could reach them, Crest was on his feet, and held Ianto by the throat.

Jack's heart seized. "No, not him."

Crest smiled, and gave Ianto a slight shake. "Step back."

Jack relented, privately promising that he would see Crest bleed out slowly one day.

Crest gave a low whistle and two dozen claw fingered aliens scrambled down the walls of the buildings on either side, and surrounded them. "No, if we're done playing games. For this one's life, I think you'll agree to my terms." His arm flexed.

Ianto clawed at the hand around his neck and gurgled.

There was no other option. They had no weapons and they were grossly outnumbered. "What do you want?"

Crest chuckled, and opened his mouth.

And an arrowhead sprouted from between his jaws.

Ianto hit the ground, and ran in Jack's direction without looking back. Jack threw his arms around the man and pulled him close.

The clawed aliens gazed at their leader with expressions of naked panic. Crest was choking, scrabbling at the arrow jammed into the back of his head, but remarkably still very much alive.

Jack wasn't sure what he expected to happen next, but it wasn't for half a dozen teenage girls to race into the alley. One of them, a tall black girl, grabbed his arm and pulled him with a strength belied by her slender figure. "Get out of here."

Blades flashed and the alley filled with guttural screams. Blood poured over the ground, red this time, and the stink in the air grew stronger. Jack hustled his team out to the street.

Where they collided with Green Eyed Paul. The young man backed away, nearly falling on his ass in his hurry. Nausea twisted his face, and he braced his legs to bolt.

Jack caught him by an arm. "Hang on. I want answers."

Paul jumped, but his wild eyes were glued on the alley entrance. Jack heard Ianto gasp, and dreaded what he would see when he looked over his shoulder.

The team stared in horrified fascination as Crest stumbled out of the alley. Ichor covered his chest and the lower half of his face, and his eyes were glazed. Despite that, they zeroed in on Paul. "Pasha." More ichor bubbled from his mouth. "Still can't figure out whose side you're on." His shoulders twitched at a scream from one of his dying minions, and all mirth left his eyes. With a roar, he charged at them.

Jack threw himself sideways, knocking Ianto clear but losing his grip on Paul at the same time.

Crest slammed into the young man, lifted him into the air and threw him several meters.

Paul landed with a smack, his cap flying off. Stringy green hair flopped into his eyes, and he settled into a crouch, and bared teeth now gone razor sharp.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

Jack blinked once and shook his head. He was usually pretty good at pinning an alien on sight. At the very least, after speaking to it. How had he missed this?

The position Paul had settled in was not a fighter's stance. It was the stance of a terrified, cornered animal, more interested in escape than fighting. A gash had opened on his forehead, and the blood ran dangerously close to his right eye.

Crest took a menacing step toward him, but shouting from the alley stopped him cold. The fight between the girls and the clawed aliens was winding down from the sound of it. With a last snarl, Crest disappeared down the street.

Jack seized Ianto's and Gwen's sleeves and nodded Rhys toward the far end of the street.

"I thought you wanted answers," Gwen said.

"Call it a hunch, but I doubt we'll get any from those girls. Or with them around." As they jogged away from the alley, he checked to make sure no one followed. Paul was watching them, and Jack realized what it was about his eyes that had made him uneasy.

He had to be losing his touch, or maybe it was an effect of traveling through the rift. There was no other way he could have missed that the young man had slitted pupils.

Paul didn't breath until the strangers' auras faded from his sight. He found his knit cap near his feet and jammed it back onto his head with a little more force than was necessary, making sure to cover the scrape he'd earned when Dimitri threw him. He wanted to leave. He wanted to be at home, sinking into his bathtub and pretending the world didn't exist.

But running out on a team of slayers was never recommended. Especially when green scales made up seventy percent of your skin.

The last of the Skavish demons died with a wail, and Paul suppressed a shudder. He'd grown up among Skavish demons. One had been his nanny. Why did life have to be so damn complicated?

Cecilia charged out of the alley and seized Paul by the collar. He grabbed onto her wrist to avoid having his shirt ripped when she lifted him into the air. "I want the truth, you slimeball. What was this about?"

"You forgot, I'm the one who called you in."

He needed to watch his tone around slayers. That thought occurred to him when he felt the point of a blade poke into his stomach. Cecilia sneered. "Get cold feet, you little coward."

It was all Paul could do not to piss himself. As if he needed any other reminders of how pathetic he was. "I saw two people headed for trouble, I gave you a head's up. Maybe next time I won't bother." His chattering teeth made the statement less confident than he'd intended.

Cecilia pressed the knife a little harder, and Paul flinched and twisted. "It's an awfully big coincidence" Cecilia hissed. "That Dimitri happened to be the one involved, don't you think."

"I try not to think. It leads to problems like this." Paul gave up trying to avoid the knife, despite feeling its tip pierce his skin. Blood seeped into his shirt. "I'm not with Dimitri anymore," he whispered.

"Once demon scum, always demon scum." Cecilia's arm tensed, and Paul cringed, expecting to feel the blade sink all the way in.

"Cecilia! Let him go!" Mirka's soft voice sounded odd raised to such volume.

Paul hit the dirt road on his backside, and his hand went straight to the wound in his side. It would heal quickly, but the fear would cling to him for days.

Mirka appeared over him like an avenging angel, staring down Cecilia with a confidence Paul wished he had. "Go deal with clean up." Mirka knelt beside Paul without waiting to see what Cecilia did.

The other slayer only rolled her eyes and walked away.

"Are you okay?"

Paul nodded. "Never better. Remember my resolve to mind my own business. Why does that go out the window the same minute I see a couple out of towners about to stumble into a death trap?"

"Because you have a good heart." With a glance over her shoulder, Mirka switched to Russian. "Do you know what Dimitri is planning? If he's planning anything?"

Paul shook his head and answered in the same language. "He's always got something on the boil, but he doesn't share with me."

She made a face. "Badness to the nth degree."

Paul laughed. "You've been around Mr. Harris too much."

She touched his cheek, and went back to English. "You used to call him Xander."

Paul didn't move away from the casual gesture, because he knew it would hurt her feelings. "I lost that right." He pushed himself to his feet, waving off her effort to help him. "I'll see you around, Misha."

"Wait." She rested a hand on his shoulder, the tension in her muscles screaming how much she wanted to pull him into an embrace. "Come stay at the house. You shouldn't be alone with Dimitri pissed off at you."

"Dimitri doesn't care about me." He glanced toward the alley, where Cecilia had taken command of the body disposal. "And I feel safer at my apartment."

She nodded. "Be safe, _bratishka_. Call me." She put a note of force behind the last words, and poked him in the shoulder for emphasis. Then she was gone, in the alley joking with her sister slayers.

Paul swallowed the bitter taste that had risen in his mouth and headed back to his car.

Jack made his way down the now empty street, alert for the slightest movement or hint of a threat. He knew he was being watched. The eyes crawled across his skin like Deluvian sucker worms. The owners of those eyes were content to simply watch, which suited Jack fine.

He reached the spot on the road where Paul had landed, and crouched to examine the concrete with his torch.

There. A smear of blood. He dipped the sample strip into the stain and loaded it into his comm. unit. The thing still worked, at least as a GPS, and within the hour, it would lead them to a weak link.

And, hopefully, the answers Jack wanted.


End file.
